Lillian
by petals-to-fish
Summary: Everything was always a joke to James. Until it wasn't. (thatsmyverb asked for a short fic/hc where Lily is short for Lilian...)


**thatsmyverb asked: short fic/hc where Lily is short for Lilian?**

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Some people called her _Lily_.

Her name was shouted across the hall in excitement before Transfiguration by Sirius Black, who waved his arm in the air wildly for her attention. It was called in despair as Marlene McKinnon spilled nail polish over her best dress in the dorm room. It was said thankfully after a three hour study session on charm theory with Nigel Babbington. It was said joyfully by Professor Victor when she dropped off updated detention slips.

Some people called her _Evans_.

Her last name was spewed by the git-tiest of foes as she passed by in the dark corners of the castle. It was spat by Severus Snape when she almost ran into him int he doorway of the potions storeroom. It was said angrily by Hannah Holiday after Lily caught her snogging Richard Fern in the trophy room after hours. It was written down amongst a list of 'fuckable mud bloods' she'd found near the Slytherin table in the library. It was said playfully in the corner of the trophy room, James Potter's hands creeping under her shirt when they are supposed to be doing rounds.

Some of her acquaintances simply could not help but say Lily Evans in its entirety.

Professor Slughorn in particular would say her name in class excitedly if she rose her hand to answer a question. The younger students whispered her full name by the fireplace when gossip surrounding her flew through the castle like an owl with a firework strapped to its tail feathers. Hagrid would greet her down by the lake with gumption as he fished and she read a book, her eyes fluttering to the skies overhead more often than they should.

If Lily were to die tomorrow, she was certain her obituary in the Daily Prophet would read Lily Evans, even if that wasn't her full name. Not many people were aware that Lily's name wasn't complete–even with the Evans attached at the end. Lily preferred it that way though, as Lily's mother had always been one for old fashioned names.

Lily had one sister and her full name was Petunia Amelia Evans. Petunia often went by Pet to her closest friends. Only Lily's mum and dad called her Petunia, even Lily called her Pet. Petunia had always said that Lily got the prettier of the two names, the one that slid off the tongue the nicest.

Lily's full name was Lillian Elinore Evans.

Petunia complained that Lily shouldn't shorten Lillian to Lily. Lily told Petunia to stuff it every time she complained that Lily's real name was Lillian. After all Petunia wasn't an awful name. Petunia was named after their mums favorite flower…Lillian happened to be great grandmother Evans' name and grandmother Evans was a lot of things when she'd been alive but she hadn't been particularly pleasant.

Lily would much rather known as a pretty flower in a garden rather than a dead woman that no one ever really liked anyways.

It was hard to get 'Lily' to stick in primary school, not with her sister there to remind everyone her name was actually Lillian. Thankfully, Lily went to Hogwarts without Pet and no one at Hogwarts knew Lily as anything other than Lily.

No one, except her boyfriend James of course.

He'd found out by accident one day while sitting in the Head Office with her. It had been written in a letter by her mum. He'd found the letter while rummaging through her bag for a sugar quill and he'd lifted it to his face, no secrets between them being a written rule in their relationship.

"Lillian?" he'd questioned inquisitively over the top of the parchment.

It was like a symphony in her ears when her real name fell from his tongue so enticingly. It was surprising, how something so simple could set into goose pimples across her arms as he stared at her through the glasses he wore lopsided on his face.

She'd told him truthfully as she reached to straighten his glasses, "I was named after my great-grandmother"

"Lillian." he'd tasted the word on his tongue, as if he weren't sure if he'd liked it enough.

Turns out, James liked it a lot.

He'd call her Lillian in his poshest accent over breakfast at the Gryffindor table. Professor Slughorn had caught James sketching her full name into his potions essay once. James proposed loudly in front of half the school that he loved Lillian more than Lily when she beat him in gobblestones. Lily told him to shove off and stop being a sore loser. Everyone thought it was an inside joke between them, in fact he'd used Lillian as a joke at first. Everything was always a joke to James.

Until it wasn't.

James started using the name in private like when they were studying alone or when he was treating her to dinner in Hogsmede. At first it had caught her off guard. At first she had assumed he was still teasing but then, the delicate way he'd say Lillian always made her heart shift into a disorganized rhythm. He did it without thinking soon. He would ask her a simple question and _Lillian_ would fall gently form his lips. Lily thought it sounded like music to her ears. It was like a splash of water to her face, a fresh reminder that James truly knew her better than anyone else in the world.

And Merlin, he knew every bit of her, down to the pattern of freckles on her skin. Love is always the best when falling, and she fell more in love with James everyday. She loved him most when they were tangled together behind curtains and under bedsheets. He always pressed small kisses to the inside of her neck as she melted into his pillows. His hands always got strung up into her red hair and after each languid kiss he'd whisper _Lillian_ , like prayer, against her skin.

She was called a lot of things, but she was starting to fancy Lillian the most, simply because it was a term now synonymous with James' love.


End file.
